I have been on a 4stroke for a while now. It feels like home, friendly, cozy. In reality, there are about 314 things that I really love about them, but here are a few:
– I love the way it rides.
– I love the way the power goes to the ground.
– I love the way I can ride a 250F like I stole it, even when I am completely fried at the end of a GNCC I am not afraid to cane the thing.
– I love the way it starts with the button with a tiny little Lithium battery – I do not even miss the kickstarter.
– I love the way it goes through the air (even though I do not like going through the air very much these days).
– I love the way they go through whoops at speed – very straight and very easy to keep the front end from dropping into the valley of the whoop.
– I love the fuel injection, as the “jetting” is always perfect for the weather or temperature or no matter how clogged up the air filter is.
– I love the way you can overrev one when you come up behind someone to let them know you want to get by.
But, as good as the 4 stroke is in so many other ways, there are a few things that are not good about them.
– The maintenance is complicated. (I can do a top end in a 2 stroke in about 45 mins with a clean motorcycle, while eating a sandwich.) 4 stroke, not so much.
– The maintenance is expensive – if you have one you know what I am saying.
– They are kinda heavy feeling in a muddy race.
– They are loud if you want them to produce power.
– I can make a 2stroke imitation sound, but I cannot make a 4stroke imitation sound. (BraaaaAAAaaap)
I would like to be a 2 stroke rider. There are just a lot of really great things about a 2 stroke.
– They are lighter, and even if they are just a couple of pounds lighter on the scale, they FEEL a ton lighter. They just ride light.
– They change directions easier in the woods. If I do not like where I am riding on the trail at the moment, I feel I can just move myself to another spot on the trail.
– I LOVE how easy they are to work on.
– You can stand on the edge of the woods when someone is riding a 2stroke and you can barely hear it. That helps land access issues.
– Braaaap is great for a license plate, a shirt, a social media post, a life motto etc…
There are a few things that I do not like about 2 strokes. What would the world be, if there weren’t a few things that I cannot rant against.
– I really dislike mixing gas. It feels like I am being a mad scientist (which is not all that bad, as I could grow a skullet and not feel awkward), mixing up the gas.
– I really hate jetting. If it was 1955, being a jetting expert would be part of man code. It is not 1955.
– The power hit is not linear. Sure, you can tune the powervalve a different way, or add a flywheel weight, or modify the pipe, but it will never be the power delivery of a 4stroke.
– The 2 stroke does not go through the whoops like a 4stroke. It takes more skill to make it through quickly.
So what would the perfect bike be? Of course I have an opinion about that also. Beyond a burrito being the perfect food, and if you do not like IPA you are just being stupid. I have opinions. Things I need to share. So here goes. What would be the perfect bike?
– Same weight as a 2stroke. Same feel of the weight as a 2 stroke. Does that make it a 2 stroke?
– Linear powerband like a 4stroke. So it already comes with a flywheel weight or whatever it is that would do that, or tuning or pipe combination or modulated right wrist thingy. Whatever would do that.
– No valves, so that it is easy to work on. (2 or 3stroke, whatever it takes). Maybe this is the perfect time to invent the 3 stroke.
– Fuel injected, so that I would never need to think about jetting again. After all, it is at least 1978 here in Wisconsin. Lets move on eh?
– No kickstarter and just a button with a starter integrated into the original design like 4strokes do, so that they do not need anything more than a tiny battery.
– I need a button that makes a really loud noise when I come up behind someone so that I do not feel like a jerk yelling out at them. But, I want the exhaust noise to be quiet like a 2stroke.
– It would make a Braaaap sound.
So there you have it KTM. I am sure you read my blog, so can you get after it and have one of those next year – OK?